We Now Return to the GOP Primary

CALLER: With this whole Obamacare Supreme Court case going on, all the pundits are speculating, "Is this gonna be good or bad for Obama depending on if it's struck down or if it's upheld?" And now that it seems that Romney is probably gonna be our guy.

RUSH: Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

CALLER: Well, potentially. Could be our guy.

RUSH: Well, it's not as easy as that. I know it appears that way, but right now the only way... I'm gonna put this in perspective for you, and I'm be nonpartisan in this. The other two are gonna have to quit. They're gonna have to resign. Otherwise Romney is gonna have trouble getting to 1144 delegates if they stay in. The only way he can get there prior to convention is if they pull out. You know, I'm like you. The Republican primary has been going on out there with Obama this week and I've been distracted with a couple of other things. But I've kept up with it, and Santorum's winning a couple here and there. We've got Marco Rubio endorsing Romney, and Rubio says: I'm endorsing him because of what I heard Obama say to Medvedev.

He said: You gotta give me some flexibility, Dmitry. Hang with me here. When I get reelected I'll get rid of the nukes then. Then nobody can stop me.

And Medvedev said: Okay, good. I'll tell Vlad.

Well, Rubio heard that and said: That's all I need to hear. I'm endorsing Romney.

Don't ask me what that means. That's what he said.

CALLER: Right.

RUSH: So it's not yet etched in stone. And Romney had another gaffe. He's talking about his dad who used to run American Motors. George Romney. They made Jeeps and Ramblers and so forth and they had three plants: One in Kenosha, Wisconsin; one in Detroit; and somewhere else. And Romney's in Wisconsin campaigning and he started bragging how his dad (chuckles) used to close down factories.

CALLER: (chuckles)

RUSH: In Michigan but not in Wisconsin he's campaigning in Michigan. (paraphrased) "Yeah, my dad he'd shut down factories but he did it in Michigan." People are going, "No! You don't brag about that." So this isn't yet done.

CALLER: Okay, well let's just say it's looking maybe more likely than not.

RUSH: All right, I'll grant you that. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I know you have a different point to make, but I just wanted to get those factoids out there.

CALLER: No, that's good. Let's just say if he's the nominee and they strike down this law, Obamacare.

RUSH: Yeah?

CALLER: Is that an argument that he can make to differentiate himself from Obama, saying, "Look, his health care law was struck down, mine was not, and they're completely different"?

RUSH: Well, you are very shrewd. There's a reason why you're in Charlottesville, Virginia. I can tell.

CALLER: (chuckles)

RUSH: There are people on the Romney side who are already making that very argument, that having the mandate struck down is one of the greatest things politically that could happen to Romney because it'll prove his point. Now, Romney has been attacked for having a health care bill that is said to be the blueprint for Obamacare. He's been asked about it, and he said, "Wait a minute, now. The states can do every mandate in the world they want. The federal government can't because the commerce clause. I would never do a national mandate! I would never, ever, as president, do a national mandate. But in the states, these laboratories, it's okay." And people are saying, "So if the court throws out Obama's mandate that this proves Romney brilliant and exactly right." I think it's a stretch, but they're going to play it that way. You're exactly right.

CALLER: I think it's a better argument than he's got so far, anyway.

RUSH: Well, the theory is the Romney people want to inoculate him from the tie to Obamacare, and so the Obama mandate being thrown out while Romney's stands, will be said to mean that Romney knows what he's talking about. "He's right! You can have a state mandate, but you can't have a national mandate," and hope to score points on it that way. And you think that would redound favorably to him?

CALLER: I think it would help bolster his argument. It doesn't seem to get a lot of traction now.

RUSH: Right.

CALLER: But I think that could really solidify that argument for Romney.

RUSH: You're right. At the end of the day, nobody's ever gonna be able to say Romneycare is unconstitutional.

CALLER: Right.

RUSH: But they'll be able to say Obamacare is not only unconstitutional, but what that means is it's illegal. That's the word that needs to be used. If they throw it out, "unconstitutional" is one thing but I prefer the word "illegal." Because they'll understand that wherever you go in this country.

CALLER: Well, there's another reason to hope this thing gets overturned, I guess.

RUSH: Well...

CALLER: Like we need another reason.

RUSH: Yeah, but... (sigh) I'm still struck that we're even here on this, but we are. It's a reality that can't be denied. But everything happens for a reason. And I said earlier this week: This is one of the greatest teachable-moment opportunities ever to have happened since I have been behind the Golden EIB Microphone. In that sense, it's godsend. Just like the NAGs said that I was of a "godsend," God's gift to women. I know they didn't intend it but they said it.